Today marks 26 years since Kingdoms were restored by President Museveni
Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) government of president Milton Obote in 1967 abolished kingdoms in Uganda.
To be exact, on September 17, 1967, Obote abolished kingdoms; Ankole, Buganda and Bunyoro and also Busoga which was not a kingdom yet (chiefdom). The abolition would later turn the country into a Republic.
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This was done through the adoption of what was termed as the “republican constitution” that resulted from a spontaneous amendment of the powers of the President Viz those of the Prime Minister in what until today is regarded as a constitutional coup, call it the ‘pigeon hole’ constitution by Obote.
The article in question this time was 118 of the constitution, and once amended read thus; “The institution of King or Ruler of a Kingdom or Constitutional Head of a District, by whatever name called, existing immediately before the commencement of this Constitution under the law then in force, is hereby abolished.”
But with the NRA war disposing Obote in 1986, Museveni was summoned by Buganda to fulfil the promises of Ebyaffe, a contemplation from him lasted an entire 5 years before he called for an army council meeting in Gulu on April 3, 1992 to declare the return to kingdoms and chiefdoms.
According to an article in the Daily Monitor issue of September 11, 2017, Military sources who attended the Army Council meeting in Gulu said, however, that after a marathon debate over the restoration of the Buganda monarchy, President Museveni prevailed on the commanders to accept.
One of the conditions for the resolution by the army council was that the return of kingdoms and chiefdoms does not jeorpadise the security of the nation.
A year later in April, President Museveni resolved to return the traditional sites taken by the government in 1966 and 1967 back to the respective cultural authorities. And one month later Museveni and the council agreed to have traditional leaders crowned.
Consequently, enthusiastic Baganda crowned Prince Ronald Muwenda Mutebi in a ceremony attended by Museveni at Naggalabi in Budo. This marked the return of kingdoms to Uganda.
